Heads or Tails
by upturned-octipii
Summary: Heads she stands, tails she falls. As Carla decides her fate over the flip of a small coin, what will the outcome be? And will the return of an old flame be able to save her?
1. Chapter 1

_Heads I stand, tails I fall.._

 _Tails I fall._

She heard a voice calling her name; shouting at her to stop, but it was to late. She had taken that step, that step that lead to nothing. Nothing but air. And then she was falling. Falling fast. But it felt good. It felt right.

At last all her worries and guilt were gone. Nothing mattered anymore. Nick, the fire, the factory, it all seemed completely irrelevant.

She thought of who would miss her, but thankfully she had managed to cut the ties of her few friends and lover.

How long would it be before people started to notice her permanent absence from their lives?

She had come to the conclusion many would be better off without her. Michelle would no longer have the self-centred friend who was the primary reason for both her brothers deaths. Nick would no longer have the stealing, alcoholic, gambling addict of a girlfriend. He was a good man and deserved much better. And Roy, well Roy would no longer have to put up with the burden of a person left behind by his late wife.

The factory was in safe hands. Sally and Alya could run the place together. It would thrive in their capable management, much better than she could have done.

The wives of Manchester could all relax now, the husband-stealing-black-hearted woman had been put to rest, in such a way only she deserved.

And that was it. She felt her body smash against the rocky ground before she blacked out. She prayed she would never awaken. Her life wasn't worth it anymore. She had lost and hurt so many people in her life, this was all she deserved. Lying there, as good as dead, at the bottom of an abandoned quarry.

* * *

"CARLA!" He cried. He was to late. Once again he had failed her. All these years he had been hiding, hiding from the curse that was Wetherfeild. He had heard from one source on the street of everything that had happened to her; Tony, Frank and then Peter. They had all destroyed her slowly but surely. She didn't deserve that, she deserved much better.

He had returned to the street with a proposal for her. One that he hoped would bring her happiness at last. But he was to late, to late to save his Carla.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, he pulled his phone out his pocket. Maybe just maybe there was a chance she could still be alive.

"Nine, nine, nine. What's your emergency please." The operator spoke down the line. She was a female, a young one, no more than thirty. What he would do to be that age again.

"She's jumped. She's jumped off a cliff." He replied, chocking on a clump of tears as he caught sight of her. Even from a distance she looked peaceful lying there. If nothing else at least that was some reassurance. He should be happy. Happy that she had found peace at last.

"Okay, and your name please sir.." The operator asked. She sounded so calm it almost annoyed him. How could she be calm in a time like this. Carla Connor, his beautiful Carla had just attempted suicide right before him. And the worst thing was she might of well succeeded.

"Liam. Liam Connor."

 ** _Okay, so do I update, or do I leave it here? Up to your guys! Please review if you think I should. Thank you x_**


	2. Chapter 2

He sat beside her bed, watching her, silently praying, as she lay there lifeless. Three days she had been here and he hadn't left her once. The doctors had told him there had been significant bleeding to her brain and being in a coma was the best thing for her. He begged to differ. He face was covered in grazes, and patches of her hair had been shaven where the surgeons had to operate. Her neck was held in a brace and he feared how uncomfortable it might be for her when she wakes up.

He blamed himself for this mess. Maybe if he had been a better lover and never ran away when times got tough, he could of saved her. He could of saved her from the horrible feelings she must of felt, from the horrible circumstances that made her want to jump in the first place, from the horrible life she must have been living.

She deserved so much better than this. She deserved nothing but love and happiness to make up for the horrific start in life, yet here she was, lying in a hospital bed.

When she was to awaken, he vowed to protect her. He wouldn't let anything ever hurt her again. He would watch her day and night. He would love her. He would hold her like the world depended on it. He would treat her like the princess she truly was.

He remembers the first ever night they spent together. They were both just teenagers at the time, no more than seventeen. It was at some kids house party, he can't remember the poor child's name, but he can remember the state of the house the next morning. Carla had pulled him to the side, kissed him, and lead him to the bedroom. It was his first time, and he was glad for that, who better to loose your virginity to than Carla? She was great back then, and still probably was. He chuckled lightly as he thought about this. He remembers all the photos Paul used to show him, of Carla posing, completely naked, while she let her husband capture the erotic positions. God if she ever found out he had shown them to people!

His mind begins to jump between all the memories of time spent with her, the times they so nearly got caught but never did. The business trip she when 'accidently' booked only one room, the many times he would sneak over to the flat she shared with Tony, hoping and praying she would allow him in. All the memories were so crisp, so raw that more tears joined the ones already falling down his cheeks.

" _Please wake up Car'"_ He whispered to her. He squeezed her hand some more. He worried if he was to squeeze anymore, her circulation might be interrupted causing her more pain.

" _It's me Liam. I've come back for yah darlin'. I've been doing a lot of thinking while I've been gone, I bet that'll amuse yah ey. Anyway I was thinking maybe we could expand the factory, y'know open up another building somewhere. We could even move international if yah wanted. Carla Connor-international business women. It's got a nice ring to it."_ He chuckled again to himself, leaning down to kiss her knuckle.

" _I'll talk to you about it again when you're awake ay. And Car', I'm staying with yah for good this time, but that doesn't mean you can stay asleep forever, I wanna see that smile that kills me 'eart every time, sometime soon."_ And with that, he reached over the bed to tuck-in her already tucked-in bedsheets. This had become a nightly routine. In a way it out his mind at rest, knowing if she did awaken over the night she would be as comfortable as possible.

Settling himself down for the night, he gave her one last quick kiss upon to forehead.

" _N'night darlin'"_ And that's when he felt it. It was weak and faint but definitely there. A tiny squeeze of his hand.


	3. Chapter 3

_"So this is it, home sweet home darlin._ '" He smiled as the taxi pulled up outside Carla's apartment block. Her recovery had been outstanding according to the doctors which promoted her quick release from hospital. Of course she still had her moments, but Liam had been told what to do and was equipped with many different drugs of names he couldn't pronounce.

Carla had remained quiet the whole journey home. She was rather embarrassed by the whole ordeal and was incredibly confused as to what Liam was doing here, though she remained thankful for his help and support. She was still horribly sore in some places and often experienced painful headaches, but the doctors assured it was normal and all would be better in time. Because of this she had grown to rely on Liam a lot more than she would usually allow herself. But he made her feel safe, a safety no one had provided before.

Stepping out of the taxi, Liam quickly paid the driver his fare before dashing around to the other side to help Carla. They had agreed to keep this whole event between themselves as others finding out would only cause Carla more grief, something Liam would try and avoid at all costs. Helping her out the taxi, together they walked up to Carla's flat as quickly as possible. And that's when the flashbacks started.

The fire. The fire caused only by her stupid-carelessness. The fire which had lead to the deaths of two completely innocent human beings and caused hurt amongst many others. It was this event that had lead her to second attempt of suicide in the first place, the guilt becoming all too much for her. And it wasn't just the fire that haunted this block of flats. Her one remaining family member, her only brother, confessed to murdering her ex-husbands mistress right in this very flat. She looked around as she walked in, Liam only inches from her side. Everywhere she looked, memories would flash before her eyes. The door in which Frank had shoved her against before carrying out his assault, the sofa where Peter and her had spent many beautiful moments before their relationship became public knowledge, the dining table where, many times, she would creep up on Paul sorting through paperwork to drag him back to bed, and finally the kitchen unit where years ago her and Liam had shared passionate kisses and more.

And then she began to wonder, what would life of been like if those she loved hadn't so cruelly left her. Would her and Paul ever sorted out their differences or would they of remained the same incompatible they always had been. Had Frank not raped her could they still of married despite her change in heart. Maybe her and Tony could have even made it, had he not been so controlling? By the time she got to Peter she thought she had cracked it. For a few months she believed she could be loved and in turn she could love back. But then Peter left and so did her baby. Her gorgeous little girl who didn't even get a chance in life. And that's when they started falling, tiny at first but they soon got bigger and when her tears start falling, her tears cant seem to stop.

Embracing her in a tight hug, Liam tried to calm the sobbing women before him. He wanted nothing more than to wrap her up and never let her go. It killed him inside to see her cry over things he knew nothing about.

Liam too had been thinking in the moments silence before he noticed her tears. He was also remembering, remembering back to the last time he saw Carla. It was Tony's stag night and Carla instead of deciding to run away with him, broke his heart and choose Tony. But he knew it was an act, her eyes always give her true feelings away, it was something he had noticed when the pair were much younger. He was here now though and he wasn't going to leave despite what she might say. He wouldn't ever leave her again not ever.


	4. Chapter 4

They had lay there most of the night. Together. In each other's arms. A few more tears continued to fall from Carla's eyes as she thought over some of her worst memories, while Liam lay beneath her, arms tightly wrapped around her small waist. Neither had spoken, it didn't seem right to ruin the silent atmosphere with small talk. That was until Carla decided to speak up.

"What are yah doing back 'round 'ere? I might have a brain injury but I clearly remember you leaving." She asked, turning her head to glance at him, her tears having nearly subsided.. for now anyway.

Liam shrugged in response also looking down at her, straight into those gorgeous green eyes she had. "I had an idea, something for both me and you. When I went, I tried setting up a business elsewhere but I could never get it going properly, not like Underworld anyway! Anyway, I had heard from our 'chelle that you had been doing a great job at Underworld, it was doing pretty much as good as it ever had done. I'd also heard other stuff from her mainly about you believe it or not, but we can talk about that later if yah wanted. So I thought I might come back here, see how you and the factory were doing for myself and then I was going to make a proposition. I was going to propose that if you wanted, together we could move abroad – expand Underworld on an international level."

"Oh." Carla mumbled, nestling her head back into his body. "That's typical of 'chelle in't. Never misses an opportunity for gossip does Michelle."

Chuckling at the comment made by the person who was meant to be his sisters best friend, he shook his head while his hand began running soothing circles across her waist.

"I'm glad she told me, you should be to. Otherwise I probably wouldn't be lying here with you." He stated leaning down to plant a kiss upon her forehead, as she let out a sigh.

"What did she tell ya? I hope it was it anything too bad!"

"No n'ought like that. Just about him.." He paused, not sure whether he was to go on. The last thing he wanted to do was upset her again. "Peter and Rob and a few other things." Hearing him say the names Carla stiffened in his arms. Those memories despite being nearly a year ago now, still felt horribly fresh.

"Mm and I suppose she told ya about the baby an' all too?" She sighed looking to him. "Ya might not believe it, but I would of really loved that kiddo. Whether I could of hacked being a mother, well that's a different story." As he listened to her, Liam tightened his grip around her small frame, holding her closer and closer to him. He hated both Rob and Peter for what they had put her through. It wasn't fair, she didn't deserve it.

"For the record Car', I think ya would of made and one day will make a great mum. Remember I know ya, and I know deep inside your body somewhere is that heart of gold just waiting to be loved so it can love back." He spoke before, again, looking down to her, into those eyes he couldn't resist.

And that was it. Once he had said those words she couldn't stop herself. Leaning further into him, she closed her eyes – letting her own lips find his. If he pulled back, she would blame the move on her brain injury. But thankfully he didn't, in fact he just kept kissing her back, more and more until she found herself leading him to the bedroom.


End file.
